Concrete building block



Ma 27; 1924. A 1,495,896

' J. A. FERGUSON CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCK Filed April 27; 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 1 I avwewb o May 27 1924.

J. A. FERGUSON CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCK Filed April- 27. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 27, 1924. I I

mp sr OFFICE.

JOHN A. FERGUSON, OF ORANGE PARK, FLORIDA, ASSIG NOR TO THE FERGUSON SYN- STONE COMPANY, OF -DEN',V'EB-, GOLOBADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCK.

Application flled April 27,, 1923. Serial No. 635,055.

- To all whom it my camera:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. FERGUSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange Park, in the county of Clay and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Concrete Building Blocks, 0 which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to building constructions of artificial masonry and has for one of its objects the rovision of a concrete building unit or b ock of special form adapted to give a maximum of strength with a minimum of material.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a concrete building block having a face portion of minimum thickness, supported and re-enforced in a depth direction by an integral lug or studding v extending substantially perpendicular thereto, said face portion being surrounded by an integral flange or web, forming an adequate mortar bed. I Still another ob'ect of the invention is 2 the construction 0 appropriate re-enforcing webs bridging the relatively thin portion of the block between the peripheral flange or web and the perpendicular lug, said webs functioning also, when the block is 80 built into a wall, as aerating elements increasing the surface of the block exposed to the air currents blowing through the intra-mural spaces, assuring a. dry wall and consequently one which is the least subject as to'the transmission of temperature changes. A further object of the invention is the construction of the perpendicular lugs, in part at least, of integral nailable substance, said lugs forming a studding when the blocks are laid into a wall, the laths, plasterboard, or other inside wall being nailed direct to said studding.

A still further object of the invention consists of the. novel assembly of my 5 improved building block into the wall'constructions hereinafter described, and other equivalent constructions. I

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the improved concrete building block illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification, and particularly claimed, and insuch variations and modifications thereof as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to whichmy invention relates. r i

In the drawings accompanying and formng a part of this s ecification, and wherein the referred em diment of my invention is illustrated: I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my lmproved concrete building block. V

Figure 2 is a lon 'tudinalsection taken along the line 2-2 o Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a. perspective view of a modified form of building block.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showin the corner of a building, the walls of which are constructed with the blocks shown in Figure Figure'5 is a similar view of a wall faced with brick the perpendicular lugs of certafm blocks being cast with recesses for receiving. [the ends of the bonding bricks.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of a wall formed of blocks similar to the one shown in Fi ure 3 aifording a tortuous path for the circulation of air in the intramural spaces.

Figure Figure 1 and providing a plurality' of superposed dead air chambers.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a double header bond partition wall formed of the blocks shown in Figure 3.

Referring now in detail to the several figures the numeral 1 represents the face .portion of a concrete block which is preferably formed with lugs 2 extending substantially perpendicularly from the rear face thereof and imparting support and reenforcement for the block in a depth direc tion. The rear side ofthe face portion between the lugs 2 is preferably cast with recesses 3 and 4 by which are defined the peripheral flange or web 5 and the webs '6 and 7 The provision of these recesses economlzes 1n the amount of material necessaryfor the construction of the block,- while the webs and the peripheral flange impart 7 is a perspective view of a wide wall constructed of the blocks shown in to it the same degree of strength as if it were of uniform thickness. Although the block is shown as being formed with webs running diagonally as well as parallel to the sides itis of course within the spirit and scope of the invention to omit any web the periphera concrete blocks an especially when carelessly made or with relatively'poor mixtures of concrete, to become damp through prolonged wetting or in certain moist seasons, this dampness naturally striking. through where the block is thinnest. The webs 1n the present invention obviate this unfavorable condition by functioning as moisturedissipating fins for the thin portions of the block, increasing the surface thereof and projectingcinto the path of the a1r currents which traverse the intra-mural spaces.

This is clearly indicated in Figure 6, in which the arrows represent the flow of air currents between the inner and outer layers of the walland into contact with the webbed inner surfaces of the concrete blocks. Aside from its bein a structural reenforcement,

flange 1 rovides an adequate mortar bed for the b ock.

The perpendicular lug 2 is formed integrally with the slab 1, and of homogeneous material, constituting a studding which extends in a depth direction suficiently to'give the proper degree of support and reenforcement to the block. It is preferably formed at the end opposite the face portion 8 of nail-penetrable substance. When the blocks are built into a wall as shown in Figure 4, the lugs or studding 2 become arran ed in vertical ali nment, the nail-penetrab e material afi'or 'ing a continuous vertical strip to which the laths or plaster-board, indicated at 9 in Figure 4, may be nailed direct, without the need of providing furring or other separate means into which nails may be driven. It is an important feature of the invention to have the lug or studding made of substantially the same material as the face portion which adjoins, for the depth .of the studding determines the width of the block and the load which it may safely carry. To make the entire studding of nailpenetrable material would, in effect, reduce the depth of the block to merely the depth of the face portion, for the nail-penetrable material is generally composed at least in part, of some substance which has. low compressive strength than the material of which the block and studding are formed 'and which therefore cannot be depended upon to materially assist in strengthening the block. It is also important, when the wall is to be laid in very damp'locations tohave the nailenetrable material removed as far as possi le from the face portion of the block so as to avoid its deterioration by being to provide reen-.

get a fault with many' 'ilaeaaee moisture which may creep capillarit'y" through said face portion, and the studding,

interposed between the face portion and nail-penetrable material, constitutes a relatively thin web having extensive 'evalporatwo feet long and twelve inches high is quite satisfactory, in which size the stud dingprovided by the lugs 2 in the blocks shown in Figure 1 will be twelve inches apart while in that shown in Figure 3 it will be twenty-four inches apart. This is practically the only difi'erence arising from the use of the two forms of block when built into the wall in Figure 4, but that form of block shown in Figure 3 is particularly adaptable to the construction of the walls shown in Figures 6 and 8, in the former of which the inner and outer layers are spaced, the perpendicular lug of one block facing the joint of adjacent blocks in the opposite.

layer and thereby providing a tortuous path for the intra-mural air currents. Thls is a highly advantageous construction for the velocity of said air currents is greatest where the path of flow is most restricted, therefore any dampness that may happen to leak in at the mortar joints 10 is quickly dried. The

same form of block is used in making the double header bonded partition wall shown in Figure 8. In this construction the crpendicular lug of one block is interloc ed in the joint between adjacent blocks in the opposite layer. This not only gives one of the strongest masonry constructions that has 7 ever been devised but permits the thickness of the wall to be made quitenarrow, adapting it particularly for use as a partition wall. The wall shown in Figure 5 is a composite construction in which the inner layer of concrete blocks is bonded to an outer facing comprising a single layer of bricks. The bonding is effected by means of certain bricks, as shown at 11, projecting inwardly and being interlocked wlthin recesses 12 cast in the perpendicular lugs of certain of the concrete blocks. The blocks used in this wall may be either of the forms shown in Figures 1 or 3 a desired proportion of which are formed with the recesses 12.

The wide wall shown in Figure 7 is of paramount value in constructions which call for the most eficient heat insulation, such as cold storage .plants or ice houses and also in constructions which are intended to carry abnormal weights. The wall-consists essentially of a plurality of layers of blocks which are firmly bonded together by the perpendicular lugs of one course being directed oppositely to the lugs of the next course as is clearly shown at 13 and 14 in Figure 7. While I have above described what I have found to be practical embodiments of my invention it is nevertheless to be understood that the building constructions herein described and illustrated may also be exemplified in numerous other alternative constructions and I accordingly reserve the right of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A concrete building block unit consisting of a slab having an integral studding projecting from the rear-face thereof, and nail-penetrable material molded on the free end of said studding.

2. A concrete building block unit consisting of a slab having an integral studding projecting from the rear face thereof, said slab being formed with reenforcing webs extending inwardly from said rear. face, said studding extending beyond said webs.

3. A wall comprising a plurality of blocks each consisting of a slab having an integral studdin projecting from the rear face thereof, and eing formed with reenforcing webs projecting inwardly from said rear face,

said studding extending beyond said webs, nail-penetrable material molded on the free end of said studding, said blocks being laid with the studding in vertical alignment, and an inner wall member secured to the nailenetrable material, said slab, studding and inner wall member cooperating to form air spaces, the webs defining thin walled pockets opening into said air spaces. a

In testimony whereof I my hand. JOHN A. FERGUSON.

have hereunto set 

